The OvaryIt Foundation is a non-profit organization with a mission to increase access to contraceptive and family planning services and advance women’s health through research, advocacy, and education. We aim to bring contraceptive access and advocacy to those experiencing domestic violence, human-trafficking, and those re-entering society after incarceration as well as providing free sexual education for all.
Throughout the United States, women are struggling to obtain access to contraceptives. This inaccessibility is due to a multitude of challenges, including transportation, limited clinic hours of operation, affordability, education, etc. The demand for contraceptives has continued to increase because it has enhanced women’s career and life opportunities and their ability to family plan more effectively. Despite the growing market, research shows that 19.1 million women in the United States still need access to contraceptive services, many of which cannot afford access or medications without assistance. The OvaryIt Foundation will work in collaboration with telehealth providers that follow the United States Medical Eligibility Criteria (USMEC Guidelines) and are licensed with the SureScripts network. The OvaryIt Foundation will strive to become the premier resource for women’s health information, sexual health education, and access to contraceptive services and medications through financial assistance.
The OvaryIt Foundation believes that every woman deserves high-quality patient-centered care regardless of racial, social, political, or religious background. These standards include qualities such as trust, honor, well-defined ethics and morals, consistency, respect, and integrity. Today many options exist through Title X funding mechanisms, but providers are required to preach abstinence first education as a condition for the release of funds. The Title X Family Planning Program is a federal grant program for low-income patients to receive family planning and reproductive health services. It funds services including contraception, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, and breast and cervical cancer screenings. Title X funding has a multitude of requirements surrounding eligibility for their program. The requirements are derived from statutes, regulations, and legislative mandates. Thus, creating an abundance of back-office overhead and process issues, increasing the total cost per patient. To provide effective education, reduce overhead, and to efficiently appropriate donation dollars, the OvaryIt Foundation will team with organizations that already support underserved populations. Partnering organizations are provided with an access code to obtain free or discounted services for the individuals that they serve.
Additionally, the education system in America is failing children across the country with inadequate sexual education courses. Should everyone learn about abstinence, of course, but we need to tackle teen pregnancy and STI prevention with true education as well. Additionally, everyone person’s body is endlessly changing, and this includes their hormones. Whether they are starting menstruation, going through menopause, etc., we believe that every person should know the basic processes of their body. This information will also be available online via YouTube and other social media platforms, for free, to reach a broader audience and obtain consumer trust and brand recognition.
Lastly, the OvaryIt Foundation will provide financial support and guidance to conduct scientific studies in collaboration with clinical partners. The primary focus of the studies will be hormonal contraceptives in underrepresented populations, pharmacogenomics, healthcare inequalities in the contraceptive field, etc. The short-term goal of the Foundation is to initiate fundraising activities and form strategic partnerships with mission critical non-profit organizations that also provide services to those experiencing domestic violence, human-trafficking, and those re-entering society after incarceration. The OvaryIt Foundation will continue to create in-person provider relationships for those needing in-person care services such as STI testing and treatment.
The Foundation’s long-term goals include and are not limited to:
• Expanding service offerings
• Expanding the states that the Foundation can serve
• Conducting robust research initiatives that advance access and contraceptive science
• Collaborating with larger networks to get more individuals access to care and education